


L is Real: The Prophecy

by ShanaRHager



Category: Super Smash Brothers
Genre: Companion Piece, Gen, Mystery, Prequel, The truth is out there
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-01
Updated: 2015-07-06
Packaged: 2018-04-07 04:44:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4249743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShanaRHager/pseuds/ShanaRHager
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Think you really know the mystery of the plaque from Super Mario 64?  Think again!  Master Hand, Crazy Hand and Master Core are on the case in this delicious mystery.  And it just might be connected to some events involving Luigi in the new tournament.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 1996

**Author's Note:**

> A sort-of prequel and companion piece to L is Real 2015. It may benefit you to read or skim through that story.

**1996**

            All was well, another day (and princess) saved.  Mario had just finished his first 3D adventure, simply known as Super Mario 64, created for the N64 console.  Now, he was claiming his delicious reward, one of Peach’s delicious cakes.  As he ate, he reflected the exciting events that had just transpired—going through paintings, collecting stars, swinging reptilian kings around by their tails, the whole nine yards.  Despite the danger, it had been worth it.  Peach had given him a gentle kiss, and now he was devouring cake.  What more could a hero want?

            For starters, he really wanted his brother by his side.  He pleaded with, cajoled and even bribed the suits at Nintendo to include Luigi in this venture, but no.  For some reason, they unceremoniously put Mario’s younger sibling on the pay-no-mind list for Super Mario 64, thinking that no-one would notice.  Sigh.  They didn’t care about family or brotherly love—they just wanted to sit back and watch the profits pour in.  As for the jilted Luigi, he put on a brave face, yet Mario had known he was devastated.  _Soon, baby bro,_ he promised himself.  _Soon_.

            Once he had his fill of the cake, Mario walked out into the courtyard and made himself comfortable at the fountain, his eyes on a mysterious plaque engraved in the marble.  He’d passed it many times throughout the adventure, but he had no time to dwell on it until now.  The plaque bore a simple yet puzzling message:  _L is Real 2401_.  He had no idea what it meant.  All he knew was that the L stood for the oft-neglected, oft-overlooked Luigi.  Maybe this was a warning, hinting that excluding him was not such a good idea.

            Possibilities flooded into his mind.  Maybe Luigi was unlockable in the game, and the message was a secret code.  Maybe the player had to collect 2401 coins to unlock him.  Or have the game on for 24 minutes and one second.  Perhaps it stood for the number of times Luigi had been passed up for recognition.  Who knew?

            “It’s intriguing, isn’t it?”

            Mario noticed that Peach had joined him, just as engrossed in the plaque as he.

            “It is,” said Mario.  “Do you have some idea what it means?”

            “Maybe something is going to happen to Luigi in 2401 days,” postulated Peach.  “I’m not really sure, though.  I know it has to involve him, because of the letter L, and the fact that he wasn’t invited to be in this adventure.  How selfish of Nintendo, by the way.”

            “I’m sure they’ll make it up to him sooner or later,” hoped Mario.  “Maybe he’ll be in a game where he has to rescue Daisy.  Or something like that.”

            “Really?” asked Peach.  “I think that would be wonderful for him.”

            “I have to go see how he’s doing,” said Mario.  “He’s still a little miffed by it.  Thanks for the cake—I nearly ate the whole thing.”

            “You don’t want me to come with you?” asked Peach.

            “I think what he needs is a little brother-to-brother time,” explained Mario.  “I’ll be back tomorrow to check up on things.”

            “Give him my love,” said Peach.

            “I will.”

            Mario and his princess shared another kiss before he left to see about his bro.

            Neither he nor Peach would ever forget **L is Real 2401**.


	2. 1999

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Master Hand, Crazy Hand and Master Core observe some of the mistreatment Luigi faces while pondering over what L is Real 2401 means.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: Sensitive material ahead!

**1999**

_Dear Mario Bros.,_

_I would like to congratulate you on your acceptance into the first-ever Super Smash Bros. tournament.  You will be given the opportunity to mix and mingle with characters from other Nintendo games.  Throughout this event, you will participate in matches which will test your strength, speed and brilliance.  A good rule of thumb is to have fun, enjoy yourselves, and most of all, behave accordingly.  I look forward to seeing you at the tournament!_

_Sincerely,_

_Master Hand_

            Master Hand watched as the Nintendo characters he’d summoned skirmished on the battlefield, and to say that he was proud of what he saw was an understatement.  This was something he’d wanted to do for years.  With help and financial backing from one Mr. Sakurai, his dream of a Nintendo fighting game became a reality.  It was a small affair, with only a dozen or so participants and 9 stages, but it was also friendly and homey, with games in between matches, like Break the Targets, Board the Platforms and Race to the Finish.  So far, everyone loved it, and Master Hand was seriously considering planning another one.

            Suddenly, Master Hand’s attention focused on one fighter in the arena.  The one in green, holding out as best as he could against multiple opponents.  Roughly, they shoved him to the ground and unloaded their aggression into every ounce of his boxy body (this was still the N64, mind you, and the 3D appearance was still a little primitive).  The victim’s eyes were squeezed shut, his cheeks fire-engine red, as was attributed to his “hurt” animation.  Master Hand tried to move in order to intercede, but he was frozen on the spot when the man started screaming in pain.

            It seemed that for some of the fighters, Luigi was their favorite punching bag.  Maybe it was because he was considered a clone.  Or perhaps it was because of his second-to-Mario status.  Or his awkward physics, his mediocre ranking on the tier list or his bad traction and other flaws.  Throughout his life, Luigi had become known as the Eternal Understudy, a nobody, always the bridesmaid, but never a bride.  Faithfully providing assistance to Mario in stopping menacing reptilian kidnappers, but getting zip in the end.  And the “tough guys” accepted into Super Smash Bros. used that to pick on him—because they wanted to feel and look more powerful than they actually were.

            Power.  The powder keg that starts it all.

            Master Hand managed to unfreeze himself in time to see Mario rush into action, yanking the big, mean bullies away from Luigi and forcing them to apologize.  Faced with Nintendo’s mascot, the meanies cowered, mumbled a joke of an apology and then rushed off as fast as their legs could take them.  As for Luigi, he remained crumpled on the floor, tears beginning to drip from his still-closed eyes, black, blue and bloodied.  Mario took him in strong, comforting arms, and Master Hand floated over.

            “Are you okay?” he asked when he arrived on the scene.

            “Yes.  Yes, I’m fine,” mumbled Luigi, still clinging to his big bro.  His voice told Master Hand to get lost, but before he did…

            “I’ll track down the guys who did this to you and make sure they’re punished.”

            “Thank you, Master Hand.”

            True to his word, Master Hand summoned Blaine, Adam, David and Jim to his office later that day, suspending them for two matches each.  He hoped it would discourage their behavior.

            It didn’t.

**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL**

            “I can’t put my finger on it,” said Master Hand.

            Master Hand and his brother, Crazy Hand, stood at the Peach’s Castle stage, staring at the plaque.  **L is Real 2401** , it proclaimed in blurry handwriting.  Mario had brought it to their attention after battling Link there, explaining how he came across it three years earlier.  He then offered his own interpretations on the message before tasking them with finding a better one.

            “He’s right, you know,” said Crazy Hand.  “It must have something to do with Luigi, since it was found in the Mario universe.  But what?”

            “Luigi is a secret character in this game, right?” asked Master Hand.

            “Right,” said Crazy Hand.

            “So, I’m guessing this plaque is a little cheat code,” explained Master Hand, “a way to get Luigi while bypassing the criteria required to unlock him.”

            “How?” demanded Crazy Hand.  “Beat Classic Mode 2401 times?  Play 2401 rounds of mini-games?  Win 2401G?  Win 2401 battles?”

            “I have no idea,” said Master Hand.  “We’ll ask some gamers about their progress and see if we’re right.”

            So, the Hands sent out a questionnaire asking frequent gamers to detail their progress and see whether it was a cheat for unlocking Luigi “the easy way”.  The responders said that they beat way over 2401 matches, had more than 2401G and cleared Classic Mode and the mini-games well over 2401 times, but they still had to meet the listed criteria in order to use Luigi.

            “I think it’s time to talk to Dad about this,” sighed Crazy Hand.

            Before they could move, Samus and Kirby raced over to them, frantic expressions on their faces.

            “You guys need to come quickly!” cried Samus.

            “Poyo, poyo, poyo!  Poyo, poyo, po-poyo!” added Kirby.

            The previous mystery was left in the dust as soon as Master and Crazy came upon what was going on.  It was Ryan Gonzales and his confidante, Tyler, astride a struggling Luigi.  Ryan was doing the pounding, while Tyler was tortuously consuming the favorite part of Luigi’s lunch.  The Hands zeroed in on the sounds of screams, sobs and pleas for the two to stop as they helped Samus and Kirby defuse the situation.  They scolded the duo, suspended them for four matches and made them apologize.

            Not that it did anything.

**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL**

            “I must say, it is very intriguing, indeed,” mused Master Core when his sons gave him the 4-1-1 on the plaque and its message.

            “Could you help us decipher it?” asked Master Hand.

            “Anything to help my two boys,” cooed Master Core.  “I, too, have reason to believe that it concerns Luigi.  Look at what has happened to him during this tournament so far.”

            The Hands grimaced, wondering if there was anything they could do.

            “But I don’t think it deals with unlocking him in the game.  It’s way more complex than that.”

            “Then what does it mean?” Crazy Hand wanted to know.

            “In my opinion, it’s a prophesy,” began Master Core.  “A prophesy that something will happen to Luigi in the near or distant future.”

            “So, something’s going to happen to him in 2401 years?” balked Crazy Hand.  “He’ll be dead by then!”

            “Look at the numbers,” said Master Core.  “There are four of them.  Now, draw slanted lines between the 2 and the 4, and the 4 and the 0.”

            The Hands complied, and their eyes widened at the result.

            “A date,” they gasped as one.

            “Now do you see what I mean?” asked Master Core.

            The Hands nodded.  Of course.  Why didn’t they spot it sooner?

            Just then, Link suddenly appeared.  “Guys, I think you’ve got to see this,” he said excitedly.

            “What is it now?” groaned Crazy Hand as the three followed Link out.

            To their shock, they weren’t greeted by Luigi facing a bully attack.  They were greeted by Luigi in the heat of battle.  His moves were similar to Mario’s, but he added a bit of his own style to them.  For instance, if timed correctly, then his Super Jump Punch had a fiery sweetspot, and he could pull of many combo attacks.  Right now, he was unstoppable, battling Fox atop the Arwing.  Now and then, he uttered exclamations in a high-pitched voice, having gotten Mario’s recycled and sped-up voice clips.  Despite his “Yahoo!”, there was something in his voice which sounded defiant, daring—and hiding inner rage.

            “Well, won’t you look at that?” chuckled Master Hand.

            “That’s elementary, my dear son,” Master Core said to him.

            As they watched the seeds of Luigi’s fighting spirit begin to take root, they made a mental note to remember the date **2/4/01**.


	3. 2001

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What exactly occurs on 2/4/01? This and other key events during Melee serve to thicken the plot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: Depictions of bullying.

**2001**

            After the closing ceremony for the first tournament, the fighters parted ways, hoping to meet again.  And they did.  Master Hand followed through on his plan to organize a second tournament for a new console, the GameCube.  This tournament would be known as Melee, and it would feature brand-new characters and stages while retaining the spirit of the original tournament.  Among the newcomers were Peach, Zelda and Falco.  And all the while, Master Hand and Crazy Hand welcomed 2001 with bated breath, anticipating the event which would occur on February 2 of that year.

            Indeed, what happened on that day involved Luigi.  You see, 2/4/01 was the release date for a brand new game, _Paper Mario_.  It was there that Luigi’s plight—his life in the shadows—was finally addressed in public.  The player gained access to his diary, which unveiled all of the juicy details.  In addition, Luigi also confessed his plasmophobia and expressed the desire to star in an adventure of his own.

            For the first time, Luigi was finally being heard.

**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL**

            That wasn’t the only major event of 2001.

            On 4/2/01, Master Hand sent a letter confirming one newcomer’s acceptance in Melee.  This kid was the all-star quarterback of his high-school football team and the captain of his college wrestling team.  He spoke seven languages fluently, was eloquent with his writing, and was tall and handsome.  His name was Raymond Sinclair.

            At first glance, Raymond was a gentleman.  He was meticulously polite to the Hands and a hit with the ladies.  Younger Smashers like Ness wanted to be him.  He drew people in with his wit and charm, gave to charity, respected his elders and was known to help the blind and elderly cross busy intersections in his neighborhood.  It seemed that nothing could taint this pure-hearted, virtuous young man.

            But in a deep, dark corner of the men’s locker room, Raymond stripped off this mask and uncovered the person he truly was—cruel, sadistic and violent.  And the only person who saw this beast was—Luigi.

            Sometimes, Raymond would go after him after he lost one of his matches.  Other times, he’d come for him fresh from an argument with a friend or a loved one.  Or, he’d go after him simply for no reason, for he enjoyed seeing Luigi in pain, feeling him squished between him and the hard, cold, locker room floor, tasting his blood and tears, hearing his screams and smelling his fear.  It would take something simple to set him off, so Luigi watched his steps around Raymond.  Seeing this made Raymond nearly hug himself with glee—it gave him control, along with his promises to go after Mario, Peach and Daisy should he squawk on him.

            On 4/2/01, Master Hand made a simple decision which plunged Luigi’s world into a nightmare.

**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL**

            In the fall of 2001 was when Luigi’s self-confidence received its first major boost.

            You all know the story.  He was tricked into thinking he won a free mansion, but it was haunted with Boos and other scary spirits.  Worse yet, Mario was in the bowels of the place, stuck in a portrait.  Thanks to an old paranormal researcher named Gadd and a ghost vacuuming gadget known as the Poltergust, mixed with a dash of brotherly loyalty, Luigi was able to shove his fears into the back of his mind and save the day.  There would be occasional nightmares, but overall, the experience made him feel more appreciated.

            But there were some who just wouldn’t let up.  They somehow learned of his adventures, and instead of complimenting him, they laughed at him.  They took his nightmares, made them loaded weapons, and pointed those weapons at him, to break him apart, to utterly destroy him.  Instead, he used their abuses to thicken his skin and strengthen his nerves and his resolve.  One day, they were all going to be very sorry for what they’d done to him.

**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL**

            “YA YA YA YA YA YA YA YA YA YA…”

            It was a sound that Master Hand, Crazy Hand and Master Core would never forget.  Whenever they heard it echoing across a given stage, they knew that Luigi was embroiled in a very heated match.  He still had the high-pitched Mario voice, but he’d been buffed and slightly differentiated for Melee.  Stronger, faster, with the best wavedash of them all.  This tournament also saw the birth of the Green Missile, a chargable move which had Luigi propelling himself like a green rocket into an unlucky opponent.  There was a 20% chance of greater devastation from a misfire.

            “YA!  WHOO!  HA-HA!  HOO!  YAHOO!  YIPPEEEE!”

            Between Smash 64 and Melee, Luigi had perfected a brand-new forward smash.  Instead of punching with an enlarged fist, he’d wind up, hold, and then launch his hand as hard as possible straight into an opponent.  Powering this move, first called the Hand Thrust and now known as the Super Hand Poke, was everything he kept bottled up inside as a result of being bullied.  Unable to take his aggression out on the likes of Raymond Sinclair, he found the next-best targets—his opponents.  It was impossible to believe that this man, with his big, blue eyes and chipper voice, was capable of such ferocity.  His stats saw slight improvement, and he inched up the tier list.  As he battled newcomers like Marth, Roy and Ganondorf, he flushed out all of the physical and mental toxins in his body and pretended it was Raymond, Blaine, Ryan, or the ugly faces of other bullies.  It felt so good, and it also got his mind off of that house of terrors.  The nightmares had completely stopped by that point.

            “Look at him,” Master Hand said one day.  “It’s like seeing a turtle come out of its shell.”

            “I know, right?” smiled Crazy Hand.  “He’s starting to become his own person, rather than a clone of Mario.  He sure had to man up a bit in that mansion.”

            Master Hand’s face fell, if that was possible.

            “What?”

            Dropping his voice, Master Hand said, “He came out of the locker room once, looking like he’d been in a car wreck.  I have a feeling that something’s going on, something we don’t know about.”

            “Whatever it is, he’s sure letting his opponents know about it,” said Crazy Hand.  “A few wound up in Dr. Mario’s office overnight.  Do you think we should—talk to him?”

            Master Hand shook his head.  “I’m sure it will pass,” he assured his brother.

            But it didn’t.  The bullies’ confidence grew, since Luigi hardly dared to defy them by talking to the Hands, and the bigger their confidence and egos, the more heinous their acts.  More hidden hatred and bitterness converted into power during his battles.  And every night for the remainder of Melee, his voice and his cries echoed in the Smashers’ heads:

            “YA YA YA YA YA YA YA YA YA YA YA YA YA!”

**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL**

            On the eve of Melee’s closing ceremony, Crazy Hand burst into Master Core’s room, Master Hand close behind him.

            “What’s wrong?” asked Master Core.

            “I don’t think that’s it,” panted Crazy Hand.

            “What isn’t?”

            “2/4/01.  I don’t think that’s it,” explained Crazy Hand.

            “Why not?  Something happened, didn’t it?”

            “Add up the numbers,” instructed Crazy Hand.  “What do you get?”

            “Seven,” said Master Core.  “So?”

            Master Hand blanched.  “Oh, no…” he murmured.

            “You know something about this?” asked Master Core.

            “Our third tournament,” said Master Hand.  “I’m planning to hold it seven years from now.”

            Master Core had a brainstorm.  “You think something’s going to happen to Luigi in the third tournament.”

            “Bingo,” said Master Hand.

            Crazy Hand gaped.  “How did you guess that?”

            “That’s elementary, my dear Crazy Hand,” Master Core said smartly.

            “Oh, and Crazy, you get to be a final boss for the third tournament,” added Master Hand.

            Crazy Hand sighed.  “About time.”

            The next day, the Smashers dressed their finest to bid Melee adieu and bid each other goodbye-for-now, to reunite again in **seven years**.


	4. 2008

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our three detectives get a big break in their case during Super Smash Bros. Brawl. But is the mystery solved?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings: Sensitive themes and a fairly intense fight scene are in this chapter.

**2008**

**_“Seven years fly by, and before ya know it, the Smashers are sitting pretty for tourney number three,”_** narrated Master Core in his best Humphrey Bogart imitation.  **_“Sure, everyone’s having the case of the butterflies, but not so much as me and my Hand-y sons.  After Master’s little brainstorm at the tail end of Melee, we’ve all got our eyes peeled for a certain green-clad fighting machine—and his name is Luigi._**

**_“Like with all cases, the three of us need keen observations of our subject.  Sure, he’s been shadowed enough, but we gotta shadow him some more, in case things go from cold to hot real fast.  The task is divided cleanly between the three of us.  Master does the watching, Crazy saunters over to Mario and the rest of Luigi’s friends to ask them some questions, and I record whatever they report to me.  It’s real simple, too._ **

**_“So far, our findings have been trivial.  After two tournaments, we say sayonara to the high-pitched voice clips, as Luigi is finally given a distinct voice.  A plus, yes?  We also notice that his pants are rolled up at the ankles, and like everyone else, he gets a realistic look.  A triangular face replaces a round one, and his denim overalls look more—denim.  He has some more buffs as well as some nerfs.  His “free” mansion is now a battle stage, and he hosts many opponents there.  And with the addition of two extra taunts per fighter, we’re thinking that Luigi’s gonna start doing the flop in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.  That’s the name of our third tourney, by the way—Brawl.  Sounds catchy, don’t ya think?_ **

**_“And what’s a good mystery without clues?  We find plenty of ’em whenever Lu is out on the battlefield.  I don’t know which is less chilling—his high-pitched “YA” from the good ol’ days, or the sounds he makes now.  What sounds?  I’m talking about shouting and yelling and hollering his green lungs out, like there’s something inside him that he’s trying to boot out.  No doubt, Brawl has a little something special in store for the Green Mario.”_ **

**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL**

            Contrary to Master Core’s opinion, more than just a little something special was in store for Luigi.

            Brawl saw the introductions of Ike, King Dedede, Meta Knight, Wolf, Snake and Zero Suit Samus, among others, to the Smash Universe.  Roy, Dr. Mario and Pichu had been given their walking papers, and Luigi missed them dearly.  But life dealt him lemons, so he decided to make lemonade by making friends out of the newcomers.  They all seemed to reciprocate his friendly desires, but as he’d later find out, for some of them, it was all an act.

            He was still shy and quiet, and to his horror, his old tormentors had been welcomed back in Brawl.  David, Tyler, Jim, Adam, Ryan, Blaine and Raymond—yep, the gang was all here.  And whatever warnings they were issued, however scant they were, entered one ear and exited the other.  They set upon Luigi more ferociously than before.  Their hatred for him had grown—as had his hatred for them.  Whenever he faced an opponent, he battled them with such relentlessness that Sonic, Mario’s long-time frenemy and a Smash newcomer, was stunned speechless.  A time didn’t come when Luigi didn’t wish he could take a swing at those harassing him, shuddering as he thought of the possible consequences.  Master Hand and Crazy Hand reprimanded and disciplined, but in most cases, it was too little, too late.

            Joining the roster of bullies was the greedy, garlic-loving anti-Mario—Wario.  Mr. Ravioli made no secret of his animosity against Mr. Nintendo.  At first, Luigi tried to ignore him.  But Wario’s resentment grew so severe that he decided to unleash it on the green-clad Mario brother, rather than on Mario himself.  Just like the rest of them, he promised grisly consequences should he ever think about telling.

            And so Luigi continued to suffer in silence.

            Finally, the big event Master Hand had anticipated finally arrived.  The tale is immortalized in what is called _The Subspace Emissary_.  Tabuu, the ruler of Subspace, hatched an evil plan to get all of the Smashers under his control, but they fought back, and after moments of intrigue, danger, betrayal and romance, Tabuu’s plan was foiled, and he retreated to parts unknown with his tail between his legs.

            Did I mention betrayal?

            Most of this betrayal involved Luigi—as the one betrayed.  The drama starred a cast of betrayers.  First up was King Dedede, who turned him into a trophy with a powerful smack of his giant Dark Cannon-equipped hammer.  Thinking the whole stunt funny, he videotaped it, along with his scared reaction to the Waddle Dees.  Second was Ike, who fought valiantly alongside him to defeat Tabuu—but once the day was saved, he began to spurn Luigi’s friendliness, eventually joining up with the bullies, possibly a result of peer pressure.  He and Raymond put aside their rivalry for the sake of the tournament’s future—Luigi even revived his tormentor after Tabuu turned everyone into trophies.  As it turned out, being in trophy form scared Ray out of his wits, but as soon as he fully recovered, he was back on Luigi’s case, as if nothing ever happened.  Same as with the rest of the bullies who temporarily cast aside whatever issue they had with him.

            After a while, however, Luigi stopped feeling fear whenever they ganged up on him.  He stopped feeling pain from the things they did to him.  Now, he felt hope.  Hope that these monsters would finally reap the rewards of what they’d sown.

**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL**

            For Master Hand, the day he set up a match between Raymond and Luigi was the most memorable moment of Brawl.

            He didn’t know the tensions swelling between the two combatants.  He had no idea that Raymond was positive that his threats and intimidation would make Luigi throw the fight in order to evade a vicious beating.  He’d soon find out that this match was the start of something big.

            Instead of some darkened corner of the men’s locker room, Luigi was facing Raymond on a battle stage—his mansion, to be exact.  The battlefield settings gave him just the right amount of confidence he needed, but of course, he kept it to himself.

            Master Hand watched as Luigi met Raymond’s charge with a series of jabs.  He could not deny the _satisfaction_ he glimpsed in Luigi’s eyes as multiple hits connected with a man who bullied him.  The absence of a confining space meant that Luigi could do aerial attacks, a freedom which he embraced with gusto.  He was holding back, playing by the rules, but both Master Hand and Ray should’ve known that something more was coming in the future.

            Raymond gave a low growl in warning, a warning his opponent defied with an uncharged spearhand attack.  In the locker room, he didn’t have to deal with his fast speed, powerful attacks and high jumps.  Nor did he have to face the rush of pure, pounding adrenaline powering Luigi like a car battery.  After a few minutes of sharp jabs and kicks, Luigi slightly charged up his forward smash and aimed it at Raymond’s jaw.  Seconds later, he drew in a breath and rocked Ray’s world with his Fire Jump Punch.  Gathering up all of his courage, he landed a third spearhand, fully charged this time, on Ray’s crotch.

            I won’t talk about the effect it had on Raymond.

            Luigi strode up to his vulnerable foe and used his up tilt to whack him repeatedly.  When his arm got tired, he finished the combo by forward smashing his nose.  Raymond’s eyes were hate-mad at this point, but Luigi didn’t care.  As they continued to battle, Master Hand likened Luigi’s fighting spirit to a young tree, just getting its bark, branches and leaves, but needing a little more development.  His confidence was rapidly growing by leaps and bounds, but Master Hand didn’t know it was because he wasn’t in a helpless position.  He was grabbing Raymond, spinning him around a few times and then letting go with a grunt, sending him reeling into the supporting pillars of the structure.  He was knocking him off the stage with his down taunt, meteor-smashing him from above with his drill kick attack.  He was draining energy and will from Ray using his down smash attack, often pairing it with other moves.  He was trapping Ray against the structure when he could, offering a small taste of his own fear in such a situation.  His blue eyes were aflame with concentration and the desire to do even worse.  Master Hand had never seen his eyes like that before.

            The beginnings of rebellion were unfolding before Master Hand’s eyes.

            After spectating for twenty minutes, Master Hand turned to go see about the other matches.  He stopped when he heard a soft _click_ and a sharp intake of breath, followed by a calm exhalation.  He didn’t have to turn around to know what had made those sounds.  The second _click_ was louder, and again Raymond gasped, and again Luigi slowly let out a breath.  Master Hand heard his respirations take on an even rhythm as he went on the offensive, and he shook himself out of his trance to attend to the rest of his business.  But he still caught the sound of the next _click_ , and a short cry this time, followed by a quick burst of breath.  Master Hand floated out of there as quickly as he could, but he was still chased by the sounds of _click_ ing and gasping and yelping and breathing.

            Then, Luigi attacked Raymond’s already beaten nose until it could barely be called a nose, and while Ray was complaining about the unfairness of the match, he let loose a few swings at the point of his chin and delivered a strong forearm to the neck.  When Raymond crumpled, Luigi rushed to his side, concern flooding his face, and kept him from hitting the ground.

            “You okay?” he asked breathily, in an apologetic tone.

            Raymond nodded, and Luigi slammed a gloved fist straight into his gut.

            The exchange of blows went on, Raymond biting back the pain of some broken fingers, and for thirty more minutes, not a word was spoken between them.  Of course, Luigi’s cunning attacks did most of the talking for him.

            After a back spinning kick to Ray’s sensitive spot, followed by a wrist against his jaw, he was downed once again, finding himself in Luigi’s arms.

            “Mamma mia—I’m terribly sorry,” he murmured in Ray’s ear before practically ripping him beneath his heart.

            Unfortunately, Raymond bounced back during Sudden Death, and Luigi lost big-time.  But his spirits weren’t dampened.  As he shook his opponent’s injured hand, he whispered, “When you feel better and you’re hungry for more—I’ll be waiting.”

            Raymond was so busy celebrating his win, he didn’t know that he’d just sampled what was to come— **seven years** after that.

**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL**

            Crazy Hand watched, mouth agape, as the group of Smashers stumbled and slipped around on an obstacle-free battlefield.

            They all had flowers growing on their heads, flowers depriving them of energy.  A few complained of feeling dizzy and nauseous, the world swirling wildly before their eyes.  One was unaware of his surroundings, fast asleep.  And many others were taunting for no particular reason.

            The colors of the scene were inverted, giving it the appearance of a photo negative.  Crazy Hand heard the sounds of mysterious, exotic music coming from all around.  He started to feel some mild effects of whatever this was, and as he struggled to keep his bearings, his eye fell on the source.

            There he was, engaged in some strange, yet alluring, dance.  His normally blue eyes glowed bright yellow.  His mouth was curled in a sinister smile.  All of the fighters were like that whenever they got a Smash Ball—minus the smile.  But what attracted Crazy Hand the most was what was in those yellow eyes.  They were wild, dangerous, desperate, angry.  He saw madness, wrath, hatred, darkness—and torment.  When he helped Master Hand create the Smash Ball, he had no idea it would affect _him_ like this.

            As Crazy Hand continued to watch, _he_ approached one opponent, glaring down at him with the crazed yellow light in his eyes, and knocked him right off the stage with a good spearhand.  He gave more than half of the opponents remaining the same treatment.  One unlucky fellow was literally booted from the stage and to his doom.  And finally, the last opponent got a Super Jump Punch, resulting in a Star KO.

            By then, the orb of inverted colors began to shrink until it disappeared entirely.  The stage was back to normal.  _He_ was back to normal, a smile wiping the wildness off his face, though his face was flushed, and he was bathed in sweat.  His chest heaved as he sought to pull himself together.  Ten seconds later, he succeeded, realized that he’d won, and did some cool poses for the audience.

            Crazy Hand had just witnessed Luigi’s true power.

**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL**

            **_“And so concludes Super Smash Bros. Brawl.  After speculating, waiting and analyzing Luigi’s every move, we finally get a break in the case.  We may as well rename this tourney The One Where A Whole Buncha Things Happen To Luigi.  Seven years after Melee, the universe decides to take the King of Second Bananas (a new nickname for our green friend) and thrust him into the thick of things.  Fighting Tabuu and releasing his true power isn’t what I like to call “trivial”, you know.  Our findings leave us slack-jawed, if you want me to put it lightly, but at least it’s big and epic, like we anticipated.  Once the closing ceremonies are over and done, my sons and I have a mini celebration of our own._**

**_“Case closed.”_ **

Or was it…?


	5. 2013-2014

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luigi gets the best year of his life, and it's just as quickly taken away from him. When our detectives witness his reaction, they may have discovered the solution to L is Real 2401!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings: Mild violence and scariness toward the end.

**2013—2014**

            At the turn of the new decade, Master Hand began to plan a fourth tournament.  No cool name was assigned for this one; all it said was that it would be for the WiiU and 3DS consoles.  Master Hand had a lot of newcomers in mind for this one, as well as the vets he planned on welcoming back.  To say the least, Master Core was delighted when his son informed him that he’d been selected as part of the final boss battle, and Crazy Hand helped him choose his combat forms.  The new tournament was officially announced in 2011, and the Hands began sending out invitations two years later.

            Hard at work with the invites, they kept their eye on one veteran in particular…

**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL**

            _“We are planning some new games featuring Luigi in 2013.  So, we’d like to call it the Year of Luigi.”_

            In 1983, Luigi was introduced to the gaming world as an everyman clearing out the sewers of Brooklyn, New York, alongside his older bro, Mario (formerly Jumpman).  After 30 years on the back-burner, Luigi was finally placed on a pedestal.  March 2013 kicked off his 30th birthday party, a celebration which would last a whole year.

            After waiting for so long, it was Luigi who was the star of the show and who saved the day.  He was the only one able to create portals between the real world and the dream world, simply by taking a nap.  Following the dramatic adventures on Pi’ilo Island, he proved extremely reliable to Mario.  He soundly thrashed his plasmophobia twelve years after he first confronted it, eventually befriending the ghosts of Evershade Valley and bringing home an adorable little Polterpup.  He realized that he had more fans than he ever anticipated, and as a result, he became more laid-back and self-confident, realizing that he could do anything if he just put his mind to it.  He even donned doctor’s scrubs and began a career as Dr. Luigi!  Rescuing Peach solo, something always associated with Mario, really took the cake.  Luigi could be super, too!

            The Hands read all about Luigi’s exploits and were impressed.  The overshadowed brother was finally emerging from the shadows and into the spotlight.  It took years of wishing and hoping, but he was finally being acknowledged.  He’d been rewarded with the best year of his life.

            “You know,” said Master Hand, “considering how hard he’s worked, both in his universe and in the tournaments, along with his bravery during the Tabuu mess, I think it’s time we give him something special.”

            Crazy Hand agreed.  “We shouldn’t turn a blind eye to his year, after all.”

            “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” asked Master Hand.

            “You know I am,” replied Crazy Hand.

            The next day, Luigi was sorting through his mail when he found this letter:

_Dear Luigi,_

_I am pleased to welcome you back for our fourth Super Smash Bros. tournament.  You will have the opportunity to reunite with old friends—and possibly make some new ones.  As in the previous three tournaments, you will participate in matches which will test your strength, speed and brilliance.  Also, you will still be expected to conduct yourself accordingly, but remember to have fun, too._

_Also, I’d like to send you a very special birthday wish.  I hope the Year of Luigi is going well for you.  On account of this celebration, I would like to offer you a birthday present of my own—a promotion from a secret character to a member of the starting roster.  This is an honor you truly deserved a long time ago._

_I look forward to seeing you at the tournament!_

_Sincerely,_

_Master Hand_

            That night, Luigi cried with joy.  No longer would he face the jeers of “You’re a secret character; we haven’t unlocked you yet!”  No longer would he be underestimated as a fighter.  When he arrived at the tournament the next year, he would come back swinging!

            The Eternal Understudy was dead.  Long live Luigi.

**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL**

            During another busy day of sending out invites, Master Hand and Crazy Hand received a reply to their letter:

_Dear Master Hand,_

_I am very excited to be a starting character for this upcoming tournament.  However, I will have a new true power when I come back.  Due to my upswing in popularity, my old true power has lost its juice—not that I’m complaining, really._

_Happy Year of Luigi!_

_\--L_

            Master and Crazy had an interesting cast of newcomers that they hoped would befriend Luigi.  There was Mega-Man, the face of Capcom, Pac-Man, the face of Bandai-Namco, Shulk, the Monado master, Lucina, Princess of Ylisse, Robin, a skilled tactician, Duck Hunt, from a 80s NES game, Greninja, the Water-type Pokémon, Rosalina, Queen of the Cosmos, with her Luma helping her, Wii Fit Trainer, hoping to whip Smashers old and new into shape, and the Koopalings, armed and ready in their Junior Clown Cars.  Rounding out the cast of newbies was Little Mac, the Bruiser from the Bronx, accompanied by Doc Louis, his trainer, who’d provide encouragement during his matches.

            Later, the Hands would invite a computer geek, Spencer Trumbull, along with his intelligent friend, Teddy Wilcox.  They also rolled out the welcome mat for the mischievous Villagers.  Wolf, Snake, and Ice Climbers were out, while Dr. Mario returned to his Melee stomping grounds.  Oblivious to what they’d done to Luigi, Master Hand welcomed back Raymond, Tyler, Ryan, and Blaine and his posse, along with Wario and Ike.  Seeing that it was the Year of Luigi, they hardly dared to harass him now, but they were just waiting for the year to be over.  Behind his back, they referred to the celebrations as “one big pity party”.  As they paid grudging courtesies to their target, they were counting the days until 2013 came to an end.

            But Luigi was smart.  He saw through their act and knew right away that their feelings toward him hadn’t changed.  Well, neither had his.  He was still meticulously polite to them, though, since there were little kids around, and he had to set a good example for them.

            _There’s a storm coming, my friends.  There’s a storm coming._

            Meanwhile, the Hands continued inviting, choosing the battle stages and making more preparations.  **L is Real 2401** faded into the backs of their minds.

            Until…

**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL**

            It was now 2014.  The tournament was set to begin late that year.  Excitement buzzed all over Subspace.  This tournament was going to be bigger than in Master Hand’s wildest imaginations.  There were at least 51 fighters and 20 or so stages, a big increase from the first tournament.  It had grown from a casual venture to a very popular pastime easily identified by the iconic Smash symbol, and Master Hand was glad that his first leap of faith had paid off.

            But in March of that year, Master Hand was suddenly thrown for a loop.  He and Crazy Hand sat in front of the TV one afternoon, disbelieved, as Nintendo officially ended the Year of Luigi.

            “They didn’t even give him as much as a warning,” gasped Master Hand.  “They just ripped off the Band-Aid and pulled this on him.”

            “Maybe I should call him,” suggested Crazy Hand.  “See if he’s okay.”

            Master stopped him.  “He needs time for himself,” he explained.  “It’s a lot to process.”

            “But still…”

            “Listen to me,” said Master Hand.  “He has Mario, Peach, Daisy and Gadd rallying around him.  I’m positive he’ll be fine.  Know this, too—his year may be over, but he’ll always be number one in Super Smash Brothers.”

            Crazy Hand thought it over.  “You’re right,” he said finally.  “He has his own thing, and it works.”

            Late that night, the phone rang, and Master Hand answered it.  It was Luigi.

            “Lu, I’m so sorry!” cried Master Hand.  “You don’t deserve something like this!  If there’s anything I can do…”

            “Thanks, Master Hand, but I’m fine.”  The voice on the other end was devoid of emotion.  He was probably still processing the news.  “I won’t let this get in the way of the tournament.  I’m practicing with my bro right now.”

            “I’m happy you’re looking forward to it,” said Master Hand, knowing that Luigi busying himself was naught but a defense mechanism.  “Do you know that Master Core is going to be in the final battle?”

            “Yes, I do.  I can’t wait to meet him.  He’s probably a nice guy—off the battlefield, of course.”

            “Trust me, he is,” laughed Master Hand.  “Will you be all right?”

            “Yeah.  As long as my bro and my Princess is by my side, nothing can hurt me.”  Luigi’s voice had gotten a little thin.  The reality was starting to hit him.

            “Okay.  I’ll let you get back to your training now,” said Master Hand.  “See you at the tournament.”

            “Yeah.  _Ciao_.”  And then he hung up.

            “Well?” asked Crazy Hand.

            “He said he’s all right, but something tells me otherwise,” Master Hand said warily.  “I have a feeling that he’s returning to Smash a different person.”

**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL**

            On the day after the Year of Luigi officially ended, it was open season for the green-capped ghost-buster.  All of his tormentors were eager to make up for lost time.  All except for Ike, who was too busy fighting for his friends to care, and Raymond, who had tired of Luigi after thirteen long years, now failing to gauge a reaction from him.  Wario sneered at him a few times, but he’d gone back to his garlic and his money.  Unfortunately, they were quickly replaced by new blood.  These were crafty ones, offering their names to Master Hand for consideration for the sole purpose of beating up their new target.  Unbeknownst to them, the Year of Luigi had left permanent repercussions.  One of them was a still-growing fan base, refusing to let some silly announcement tell them when to stop liking Luigi.  Another was that he was still a starting character for the upcoming tournament, had a royal Thumbs-Up from Master Hand, and embraced the prospect of making new friends.  But by far, the most important consequence was Luigi’s boosted confidence, courage and spirit.  If he could beat some scary spooks, then who said he couldn’t beat some mindless meanies who had nothing else to do than knock him around?

            He was really anticipating his return to Smash.

**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL**

            That summer, Luigi invited Master Hand and Crazy Hand to watch one of the frequent Mario Kart races.  Eager to take a break from the planning and preparing, the Hands accepted.  They bought chili dogs from the concession stand and then floated onto the raceway, observing as the racers fussed with their vehicles.  Quickly, they located Luigi, calmly inspecting his own kart.

            “L!” called Master Hand.

            Luigi turned toward them with a beaming smile.  “Hey!  I’m so glad you could come!” he said jovially.

            “Thanks for inviting us,” said Crazy Hand.  “That’s a cool kart you’ve got there.”

            “Thank you.  I have maintenance done on it frequently.”

            “Good luck on the racetrack,” said Master Hand.  “Let’s hope you smoke them out there.”

            “Oh, don’t worry,” promised Luigi.  “This is going to be an interesting race—one they’ll _never_ forget.”

            Master and Crazy headed over to their seats as the kart racers lined up at the starting line.  On the command, they started their engines.  A Laikitu floated down on a cloud, holding a stoplight, which began to count down from three.  When the stoplight turned green, everyone floored it and began to streak down the racetrack.

            What started out as a friendly kart race quickly plunged into chaos.

            Green shells, red shells and the deadly blue shells sought out unsuspecting prey.  Karts were reduced to heaps of shredded tires and twisted metal.  Racers screamed in terror as the shells collided with them, sending them skidding off the track.  From their place in the stands, Master and Crazy could hear the _crunch_ of shell meeting metal, and metal meeting more metal as the stricken kart plowed into an innocent one.  They heard the shrieks of the racers as they fought to avoid a nightmare.  The _whoosh_ of sparks igniting leaked gas tanks.  The cries of agony as unfortunate racers made impact with the unforgiving concrete wall.  Destruction.  Flames.  Affright.

            Emerging from this morass of red-orange, black and other colors, completely unscathed, was one lone racer—Luigi.

            Except that this was a Luigi that the Hands didn’t recognize.  One hand was on the steering wheel, and the other clutched a green shell.  “Ridin’ Dirty” by Krazie Bone was blasting at max volume on his radio.  He turned to look at the bedlam in his wake, and on his face was a look destined to haunt Master and Crazy for the rest of their lives.  A look of malice, of bloodlust, of murderous satisfaction, and of savage mercilessness.  Gone was the meek, cowardly man in green who took everyone’s garbage with a smile on his face.  When it came to kart-racing, he was GOD—and he ruled over every last racetrack.  It was him who would decide who’d make it out unscathed.  It was him who would finish first and earn the gold trophy.  Once they ate his deathly shells, they’d eat the cruel, bitter words they once said about him!

            Petrified, the Hands watched as the green racer approached his rumored romantic rival, Waluigi.  He curled back his arm and let fly the green shell.  It encountered the rear of Waluigi’s cart with a thunderous crash, sending the thin, purple-clothed man flipping into the air.  “WAA!” he cried miserably as Luigi glided past him, fixing him with that singular, venomous look.

            The rest of the kart race was like _The Fast and the Furious_.  No one was safe from Luigi’s racing and shell-throwing skills.  They prayed silently for a good item to counter him from the question mark box, but it was no use.  Luigi had become a speed demon, invulnerable, determined to let nobody stand between him and the finish line.  Round after round, he owned them all, flames licked like serpents about the wreckage of his foes, and those stupid enough to challenge him dragged mangled bodies to what amounted as safety.  Hearts pounding, Master and Crazy were unable to tear themselves from the sight of the Smash veteran taking this kart race so seriously, his menacing glare slicing deep with hate, his shells showing no prejudice over who they hit.  By the final round, they were glad that they made Luigi a starter in the tournament.  There was no telling what he could’ve done to them if he found out he was still a secret character.

            Luigi’s king of the road mentality helped him clinch the coveted golden cup.  At the awards ceremony, he was back to the innocent, fun-loving Luigi everyone knew and loved, smiling and gracious to those he’d vanquished.  The Hands met him as he left the raceway, cup tucked under his arm.

            “I’m-a Luigi, number one!” he proclaimed.

            “Lu, what was that about?” demanded Master Hand.

            “What was what about?” queried Luigi in an innocent tone.

            “You really tore it up today!” balked Master Hand, bewildered.  “We’ve never seen you like that before!”

            Luigi gave them a sly look.  “You’ve never seen me kart-racing before,” he said.

            “I’ve heard of them,” piped up Crazy Hand.  “I thought it was all for fun.”

            Luigi shrugged.  “I really don’t have time for fun right now,” he said.  “Sometimes, when you’re in a race, the heat just gets to you.  Your blood boils.  That’s what happened with me.”

            “I saw,” Crazy Hand said slowly.

            “Guess the rush from being in Smash stays with you,” said Master Hand.

            “Guess so,” smiled Luigi.  “I’m happy you could cheer me on.  See you in a few months, eh?”

            “Yup.  See you then,” the Hands said in unison.

            As Luigi left, Master and Crazy looked at each other.  It had hit them at the same time.

            “Dad has to know about this,” said Master Hand, and the two rushed off.

**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL**

“What’s wrong?” asked Master Core as his sons burst into the office.

            “L—Luigi was at the—kart race,” panted Master Hand.  “You—you should’ve seen him.  I never thought he had it in him.”

            “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” said Master Core.

            “He was relentless!” cried Crazy Hand.  “Hurling shells at those trying to bypass him!  And his face—I’ll never forget it.  It was like—he was wishing death on everyone else on the track!”

            “He says it was just his blood boiling,” said Master Hand, getting to the point.  “We think it’s something else.”

            Master Core tensed.  “It’s the plaque, isn’t it?”

            Master Hand gaped.  “How did you…?”

            “The numbers,” explained Master Core.  “They form a date, and they add up to seven.  Previous events seemed consistent with our postulations, but look.”  He rearranged the 4, 0 and 1 to form—

            “2014,” said Crazy Hand.

            “Wait—that’s this year!” cried Master Hand.  He grabbed Crazy Hand.  “That’s it!  That’s the prophesy!”

            Master Core nodded.  “After being overshadowed most of his life, this will be the year when he reaches the end of his rope and says ‘enough’.”

            “It was right under our noses,” groaned Crazy Hand, “and we let it slip right through.”

            And so, after twelve years, the case was finally cracked.  It wasn’t a cheat code or a date.  It was a year.

            **2014.**

**The year Luigi finally snapped.**

**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL**

            A week before the tournament was scheduled to begin, Master Hand sent Luigi another letter, inviting him to represent the Mario universe in a combo exhibition for returning and prospective Smash players.  Following what he’d seen at the kart race, he wanted to test Luigi, to see what he could really do before he stepped back onto the battlefield.  Hardly a day later, Master Hand received Luigi’s ecstatic reply.  _Him_ representing the Mario universe rather than his brother?  He would be honored!

            The combo exhibition took place inside a round, roomy convention hall, with enough space for the fighters and the spectators.  As the gamers watched, the chosen representatives showed off their skills against a generic wireframe CPU.  There were free refreshments, and the fighters took some time from doing combos for photo ops, autographs and Q&A sessions.

            Luigi had shown up in top form.  His overalls and shirt were nicely pressed.  He’d showered prior to arriving and had also washed and trimmed his hair.  He wore a clean, brand-new pair of gloves, shined shoes, and his cap was at a smart angle.  He looked like someone who took this privilege seriously.  His usual silliness was toned way down, and he addressed gamers as “sir” or “ma’am” unless he gained permission to call them by name.  He relaxed slightly as he watched the other representatives in action.  Since the exhibition was arranged in alphabetical order according to series name, his turn would be after Marth.  They would be given as long as they needed, and the audience was cautioned to remain seated and quiet, so as not to distract the fighters.

            When the gamers applauded Marth, Master Hand signaled for Luigi to get ready.  He stood and stepped out to the crowd of gamers, greeting them with a smile and quick touch of his cap.

            “Hello,” he said.

            “Hello,” responded the audience.

            Master Hand formally introduced him to the crowd.  “Luigi recently celebrated his 30th anniversary with the Year of Luigi, but all that attention just made him even more shy and awkward.  In the tournaments, as in life, Luigi tends to follow his big bro’s lead, but as you’ll see shortly, he adds his own spice to moves like the all-powerful, iconic Super Jump Punch.  His taunts, however, are 100% Weegee.”

            Polite applause.

            Then, a voice mumbled, “Man, I was really hoping for Mario, not _him_.”

            Luigi’s head whipped in the direction of the voice.  He quirked an eyebrow at the complainant, but he said nothing.

            “I’m sorry; did you have a question?” asked Master Hand.

            “No, sir,” the complainant said quickly.

            “Whenever you’re ready, Luigi,” Master Hand told him.

            Luigi didn’t need to be asked twice.  He converted the sting of the mumbled words into power and energy for his combos, and he was quickly rewarded with “oohs” and “aahs” from the audience.  Lashing out would do no good here, anyway.  During the time he was demonstrating on the CPU, select audience members seemed to forget that there was a rule against making any noise.  Anyone who dared snicker, or mutter about his year being over, or complain about him being chosen over Mario or purposely crumple soda cans and crunch loudly on food was automatically checked into his mind and translated into something productive.  He began to hack vehemently at the wireframe before him, sprinkling some of his specials into the creative moves he pulled off.  He seemed to never run out of ideas, and the engrossed gamers clearly wanted more.  So he gave them more.

            For two and a half hours, he demonstrated that he could hold his own as well as Mario.  He tried to make his combos especially enticing and capped it off with a dramatic flourish which took everyone’s breath away.  By then, he was sweaty and flushed, but he was happy.  He flashed a “V” sign to the audience before making way for Zero Suit Samus.

            During another break in the action, the audience member who’d first complained walked up to Luigi and apologized.

            “You’re really good,” he conceded.

            Luigi shook his hand in forgiveness and even signed the back of the guy’s shirt.  He probably wouldn’t be so lucky next time.

            The Year of Luigi was over.

            The Era of Luigi had begun.


	6. 2015

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The mystery of L is Real 2401 finally comes to an end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: Violence, themes and character deaths.

**2015**

            About a year into the new tournament, it was in full swing.  The veterans (well, most of them) welcomed the newcomers with open arms, and friendships ensued.  There were rumors of something going on between Mac and Samus, which they fiercely denied.  Sheik and Zero Suit Samus were separate entities, and the latter was often found in the buff with Shulk at Delfino Plaza.  Wii Fit Trainer kept her promise and organized fitness classes for the Smashers.  The Villagers became famous for their harmless pranks, while Teddy and Spencer became nefarious for more harmful ones.  Fox and Falco had their normal bantering, and Link and Zelda were still going strong, as were Mario and Peach.  Kirby made up for his small size with his powerful abilities, overwhelmed people with his cuteness and enjoyed saying “Hii!” to everyone, as well as competing with King Dedede for his favorite desserts and sparring with Meta Knight.

            Everything was normal in the world of Smash.

            At least, that was what it seemed…

            Following what they’d witnessed at the kart race, Master Hand and Crazy Hand should’ve known that something was going to happen with Luigi in the new tournament.  But he seemed his normal self at first, being friendly with the newcomers, hanging out with Ness and Dedede (they’d grown pretty tight after banding together in 2008 against Tabuu), keeping his skills top-notch and gliding up the tier list.  He and Lucina struck up a friendship after they were paired in a Team Battle.  When a newcomer named Evan Vidad was in desperate need of a roommate, Luigi quickly volunteered.  In return, Evan began doing battle against those harassing his new roomie.  Alas, they just changed tactics and did their thing whenever Evan wasn’t around.  He was growing fearless and could give as much as he got during matches, even against heavyweights like Ganondorf, who enjoyed grumbling about a coward getting a year of special attention while he, the Gerudo King, got nothing, as well as dueling the “coward” in question at Gerudo Valley.  The Hands just chalked it up to the recent positive events in his life.

            By and by, however, Master Hand began to notice that something was different about Luigi.  He was still polite, won and lost graciously, and shook hands with opponents, but while engaged in battle, his personality did a 180.  When someone hit him, he hit back harder.  Determination animated his face, and his eyes blazed with the defiance of a condemned man.  Dark emotions flickered across his features, and he spent more time on the offensive.  It was like something tapped him on the shoulder and told him that there was a possibility of him winning.  As salty sweat beaded his brow, he held eye contact with his opponent, daring him (or her) to just try and KO him.  If someone knocked him down, he did a floor attack as he got back up.  He continued dashing at his opponent, even at high percentages.  And most stunning of all, as a battle heated up, a mighty shout would come flying out of his mouth.  His shouting, yelling and hollering would echo all around the stage, infecting both allies and opponents like a brain fever.  It was enough to send thrills of powerful energy through their veins and down their spines.  Battles became more exciting with Luigi.

            Off the battlefield, changes were taking place, too.  If anyone picked on him, he’d tell them to back off, or more often than not, he’d ignore them.  He also began to stand up for his friends, a sort of repayment for the times they stood up for him.  Now that he’d found his voice and his hidden courage, he brandished it like his Poltergust.  He held his ground so fiercely, both on and off the battlefield, that some of the bullies were frightened off.  But not enough of them.  Blaine and his cronies, for example, still made life difficult for him, and Tyler and Ryan simply resorted to verbal attacks rather than physical ones.  With the introduction of the Fighting Mii Team, Luigi saw many people who used to give him grief, but he paid them no mind, just like they paid _him_ no mind.  Their day would come sooner or later.

            In April 2015, Master Hand caved to popular demand and invited Mewtwo back to Smash.  In almost the next breath, he announced Lucas’s return, as well.  Ness, Dr. Mario and Pikachu were very happy, to put it lightly.  For Luigi, it was like old times.  He helped Lucas slip back into the pace of Smash and even battled Mewtwo on his first day back.  The psychic was surprised on how much Luigi had improved since Melee.  Casually, he replied that in order to survive in Smash, he had to shape up.  Master Hand was delighted that Luigi was slipping back into his Melee friendships.

            But suddenly, mysterious events started befalling Smash.

            There were mornings when Master and Crazy would walk into the Training Room to find it littered with beaten-up Sandbags, torn wide open, their filling spilled all over the floor.  A window would be shattered, and more remains of Sandbags were in a heap outside.  Some would talk about nights in which someone’s battle cries would wake them up.  Mario would find his brother conked out in his room, still in his clothes, glittering with fresh sweat.  He knew, of course, but he dared not tell the Hands.  It was so private that it only felt safe kept inside brotherly bonds.

            It was nothing more than a nuisance at first.

            Then came the more alarming happenings.

            Ike was found lying in the grass on a summery day, thoroughly beaten, his skull smashed open.  Just prior to his abrupt end, he was talking about renewing his friendship with Luigi.  Ness had seen a Green Missile streaking through the air, but since he was sparring with Lucas, he thought nothing of it.  Privately, Master Hand recalled whispers of a falling-out between Luigi and Ike, once again thinking back to the kart race and the combo exhibition.

            Shortly thereafter, Lucina stormed into Master Hand’s office and fumed about King Dedede bad-mouthing Luigi.  Master Hand was shocked, as Dedede and Luigi had been as thick as thieves since Tabuu’s attack.  He resolved to talk to the King of Dreamland after his match.  But that evening, he was summoned to Dreamland, where he was confronted with Dedede’s lifeless, beakless, almost toothless and very bloodied body.  An audience member was yammering something about a video, but Master was so preoccupied that he paid it no mind.

            Then, Wario failed to show up for a match, so Waluigi and Ashley ventured to Mr. Ravioli’s workshed to fetch him.  Their cries attracted Master Hand, and he rushed there on the double to see Wario lying in a pool of blood and filth.  The majority believed that Wario had gotten what was coming to him, as he was known to make trouble for the Mario Bros.  That night, Master Hand lay awake, flashing back to the time he found Wario getting a little too rough with Luigi during a match and declared a no contest.  He thought it was only one time, but…

            Fourteen years after he first joined Smash, Raymond Sinclair finished up where it all began—in the men’s locker room.  They found him with his head jammed in a locker, gore splattered everywhere.  It took two gutsy volunteers to clean him up.  Master Hand was quite puzzled, for just before the tournament, he’d helped coax an elderly lady’s cat down from a tree, saved two small children from being grabbed by a stranger and reported a drunk driver before anyone got hurt or worse.  Then, he thought back to when he found Luigi stumbling out of the locker room, painted with blood and awful bruises, tears dripping down his face—and he cursed himself for not going to him and asking what the matter was.

            Ganondorf was on the outs with everybody following an outburst during the Year of Luigi.  One afternoon, he’d accused Mario of letting his brotherly love get the better of him while fighting him.  Master Hand promised he’d do something about it.  That lasted until he went to fetch Ganon for dinner and found him on his back, his face reduced to a crater.  At that point, the Hand started feeling sick to his stomach.

            Speaking of Mario, he was on his feet, shouting like a wild man, on the day Luigi fought B.J.  On account of causing a distraction, Master Hand politely asked Nintendo’s mascot to leave.  That didn’t seem to faze Luigi.  He gave the bratty Koopaling a sound thrashing and sent him on his way, his JCC in shambles and crying.  Everyone thought B.J. would get over it, but they were wrong.  B.J. and his equally wayward brothers were eventually found outside the men’s locker room, one with a snapped neck, one with his face beaten in, one with a destroyed spinal cord, one with his eyes torn from his face, one with a fork plunged deep inside him, and one reduced to oblivion.  There was a rush to get them out of there before Wendy walked in and saw them.  Crazy Hand had walked by earlier and heard them taunting someone, but he didn’t know it was Luigi.

            When Master Hand hosted one of the frequent Home Run Contests, he was blown away at how far Luigi could send a Sandbag with his forward smash.  He bashfully stated that he was just practicing, but the shyness was replaced by hunger when Master Hand told him that his prize was an untimed match at Final Destination with two opponents of his choice.  Without missing a beat, he chose Tyler and Ryan.  Master Hand thought nothing of the choice at first, but as the next day dawned, he remembered Ryan beating the poor man while Tyler at the best part of his lunch…

            It was too late to talk to Luigi about it.  The match commenced without a hitch and seemed to go on forever.  Ryan and Tyler’s cries of pain and fear made Master’s stomach curdle, but he reassured himself that they were just exaggerating for their opponent’s benefit.  When the bout finally ended, Luigi strolled out, as calm as ever, though his hair was a little rumpled, his eye was swelling up, some blood trickled from his nose and his fists were clenched.  In passing, he murmured something about Ryan and Tyler never approaching him again.

            Master Hand shrugged it off until someone walked in to clean the stage for the next battle.  He suddenly popped back out, his face ashen, and cried, “I’m gonna need some help here; these two are all over the place!”

            And Ryan and Tyler were, in fact, literally all over the place.  It took six people to clean the mess up, but they were very quick about it.  And Master Hand pondered going to Luigi’s room and talking about what may have happened during the Home Run Contest—or the past sixteen years, for that matter.  Ultimately, he decided against it.

            A week later, Master Hand called an assembly, where he introduced a newly christened Smasher.

            “Ladies and gentlemen, this is Stuart Bennigan, who has just been accepted into the tournament.  Stuart, welcome to Smash.”

            “Thank you,” Stuart said politely. 

            The Maryland native buddied up with Luigi all day, sitting next to him during meals, touring his mansion, sparring with him in the Training Room and teaming up with him in two Team Battles.  Master Hand thought they’d get along quite well.

            He thought wrong.  But that’s a story for another time…

            After Teddy and Spencer went on a Smack Cam spree, Mr. Game and Watch swiped Spence’s spare key and rummaged around in his locker, eventually finding the ugly details of the pranks he pulled off with Teddy in his diary.  Then, Peach overheard Teddy gloating about it online.  Together with Samus and Zelda, G&W and Peach informed Master Hand of the boys’ increasingly vicious acts.  He’d planned to confront both boys after dinner, but while they were eating, the Smashers heard screams.  Once the meal was finished, they ventured to a lonely booth, where they found a broken chair, a knocked-over table, and—the bodies of Spencer Trumbull and Teddy Wilcox.  Both of their faces had been grotesquely fractured, and they were scored with the ugliest sores they’d ever seen.  They had been burned, both inside and out, with a caustic liquid.

            Recently, Evan had started visiting Master Hand’s office, requesting him to discipline Blaine, Adam, David and Jim for bullying Luigi.  Master Hand explained that his hands were tied now, and that he’d already tried everything.  After one such talk, the four jocks in question were found in heaps on the ground.  Blaine had been electrocuted, Jim’s windpipe had been crushed, and David and Adam were barely recognizable.  He then came across Evan and Luigi whaling furiously at each other in the Training Room and broke up their sparring session by calling them to dinner, choosing not to bring up what had happened to the four jocks.

            Soon afterwards, during Picture Day, Master Hand dropped in on Luigi during his photo shoot.  The strawberry blonde was hard at work behind her camera, aiming, focusing and shooting.  But the Hand was zeroed in on her subject.  Clad in a fresh pair of overalls, clean-shaven, well-rested, hair nicely cut, Luigi looked handsome.  His blue eyes were clear, eloquent and so—disarming.  He hardly recognized the tiger dominating the battlefield nowadays.  Chin held up confidently, doe eyes complemented by a wide smile, standing straight and tall—and in a sudden, spontaneous movement, he reached up and delicately fiddled with his cap.

            The photos were snapped in this position.

            Music buzzed around photographer and subject, and Luigi seemed to relax even more.  He wasn’t like most of them, who took pains to ensure that everything was perfect.  He walked in knowing how he was going to pose and how the pictures were going to come out.  His gaze at the lens never wavered, and Master Hand allowed himself to think that perhaps he’d suppressed his shyness.  Or maybe the Year of Luigi had made him less shy.  Who could tell?

            At the end, Luigi placed a hand on his hip and flashed the photographer a “V” sign, and she decided to snap the picture as a bonus, since he did so well.  Master Hand slipped out before they could see him.

            When the photos came out, Master Hand knew that many of the cocky newcomers would be led astray by Luigi’s gentle expression.  He almost felt sorry for them.

            Almost.

            Then came the fateful match-up between Shulk and Luigi at the Punch-Out Boxing Ring.  Master Hand popped in once or twice, and then left to attend to more pressing matters.  All seemed normal in there.  Shulk, in the buff, was a monster with his Monado, and Luigi, clad in his Fire Flower uniform, held nothing back.  Even when he was down to one stock and bound to lose, he fought on.  Luigi’s resolve had gotten a makeover, so Master Hand didn’t find this out of the ordinary.

            So imagine his shock when Dr. Mario informed him that Luigi had been hospitalized after Shulk performed a hard-hitting bellyflop on him.  When Master Hand visited him, he assumed, along with the patient, that the heat of battle had gotten to Shulk and that he really didn’t mean it.  But Shulk never visited while Luigi was recovering, never even sent him a get-well card.  And a few weeks after his release, Luigi walked into Master Hand’s office, and in his normal voice, informed him that Shulk had posted the battle all over social media.  Furthermore, Shulk had pretended to be his friend.  Master Hand offered his condolences, and then thought nothing more about the matter until the following day.  Shulk had gone to pay Luigi a visit in his mansion to make amends.  He was found with his face beaten to a pulp, covered in blood.  He “really felt it” in his final moments.

            After that, things settled down for a bit.  The only major complaint was some dude named Randolph whining that he now needed dentures to eat his protein bars, and that Luigi had knocked his manly face out of whack.  The next morning, he hired a videographer named Simon to televise future matches.  He tested out his camera in a 90 minute skirmish, and it was while they were viewing it that they finally questioned Luigi about why he shouted the way he did.  To which he responded, “What do _you_ shout in the heat of battle?”

            Once the Smasher stumbled over the question and offered several reasons _why_ they shouted, he told them, “Once you know what _you_ shout in battle, then you’ll figure out what I shout as well.”

            Other than a comic skit involving Fox and Falco, all was generally quiet on the home front.  Until…

            …it became time for nominating fighters for Smasher of the Month.  When he nominated Luigi, he knew in his heart that he was going to eventually choose him.  Unfortunately, Stuart Bennigan decided to change all of that by setting a wild chain of events into motion.  He burst out laughing and mocked his choice by citing Luigi’s cowardliness and clumsiness and then accusing him of demanding attention.  Master Hand could tell that Luigi was extremely upset—his anger spilled over during most of his matches, and he had to try and calm him down.  He should’ve suspected something when Stuart made himself vomit all over Crazy Hand.  But when Mrs. Bennigan came knocking on his door, her son in tears by her side, and spun out a tale of Luigi picking fights with him, he was stricken.  How could he think of doing such a thing?  Summoning the green-clad man, he and Mrs. Bennigan demanded to know if it was true.  More or less, Luigi admitted it, defending his actions in the process.  Yet Stuart looked so weak and afraid that Master Hand was forced to suspend Luigi indefinitely and rescind his nomination.

            The next day was when it all started spiraling out of control.

            Reports of Stuart harassing Luigi and his friends came Master Hand’s way.  Then, Professor Elvin Gadd paid him a surprise visit, asking him if he could have a private talk with his “apprentice”.  Befuddled, the Hand agreed, and he spent the rest of the afternoon with Crazy Hand and Master Core to clear his head.

            To this day, Master Hand would suspect that E. Gadd set that day’s drama in motion.  Whatever they talked about spurred Luigi to willfully defy orders and engage in a fistfight with Stuart.  It was Crazy Hand who had walked in on the aftermath, and Luigi had shown no regret over leaving Stuart a bloody mess on the concrete.  He just calmly stated, “I’m finished,” before following Crazy Hand to his office, where he was detained until both Hands processed the news.

            From there, it really started coming apart.  Master Hand learned the ugly details of Stuart’s manipulations and decided to commute the indefinite suspension to probation.  All Luigi had to do was accept the punishment.  But, no.  He argued that he shouldn’t be punished at all, given that he was simply sticking up for himself.  But despite what Stuart had done, Luigi had disobeyed a direct order, and he had to answer for his actions.  The situation culminated in a series of heated clashes.  By the time the dust settled, a 10,000G vase was in shambles, profanities had been uttered, and Master Hand’s patience had snapped.  It took only a few words from Crazy Hand to set him off.  Outside the Training Room, where Luigi was unloading his rage on innocent Sandbags, Master Hand went off on a tirade he’d eventually regret and wished he could forget.  Luigi had overheard every word.  Next thing Master Hand knew, he was summoned to Dr. Mario’s office, where a group of Miis laid the probationer’s terribly injured form on the bed.  There was so much blood—he’d never forget the mass of blood.  And then Luigi’s eyes met his with such indescribable hatred, and he spat some very cruel words to him before losing consciousness.

            He was out for about a day and a half.  On the day he woke up, Daisy came to see him.  She lectured Master Hand good and strong about how upset he made him, and that even final bosses make mistakes sometimes.  Finally, she confirmed that Luigi had participated in 3-Minute Smash because he overheard what he’d told Crazy Hand.  Luigi woke up as soon as she left and took back the hateful words.  Master Hand assured him that he didn’t mean what he’d said that day and showered him with compliments before making him promise to talk to him and Dr. Mario before jumping into Multi-Man Smash.  As soon as he recovered, Master Hand immediately placed him on a two-week, all-expenses-paid vacation, hoping that it would cool him off.

            And it did.  Following two restful weeks in Evershade Valley, Luigi returned to Smash, nice, refreshed and ready to make amends.  While repairing their fractured relationship, Master Hand gave him a light load at first, in order to reacclimatize him, but he was fighting in earnest before long.  But while Luigi was away, Master Hand had also given himself time to think.  He was starting to believe that recent events had something to do with the prophecy he’d figured out the previous year.  Maybe the Death Stare at the kart race was a warning of what was to come.  Maybe there were smaller signs before that, smaller signs he’d failed to notice.  He reflected on the Smashers that had been found dead.  Some were rumored to have had turbulent relationships with Luigi.  He’d caught a few in compromising positions with him.  If he was in fact responsible for the deaths, then _why_?

            But when Luigi came back, he casts his doubts aside when he saw the gentleness in his eyes and voice, talking about how he’d pay for a new vase and conceding that he’d given in to his temper that day.  He made sure to gain clearance from both Dr. Mario and Master Hand before attempting another Multi-Man Smash event—10-Man Smash.

            By now, Luigi was dividing time between his regular matches and Multi-Man Smash.  A month went by before he graduated to 100-Man Smash.  Two days after that, he was on fire in Endless Smash.  Master Hand noticed that he rarely had to clean up what was left of Sandbags anymore—but there were a whole lot of Miis he had to mop up off the floor.  Was this a good sign or a bad sign?  It appeared that Luigi was feeling better nowadays, and he and Master Hand were back on speaking terms.  Perhaps the incident taught him something.  He never failed to wow the crowd during battles, and he mingled with his fans, signed autographs, and spoke wistfully of Daisy being a Smasher.  With the brand-new Fighter Ballots, perhaps that could be arranged.

            Which brings us now to the present.  Luigi facing Master Hand and Crazy Hand in Master’s office, eyes intense, face solemn.  He’d just fought his last match for the day and asked to see the Hands in private.

            “You wanted to talk to me?” asked Master Hand.

            “Yes, sir.  There’s something I really need to get off my chest.”

            “Really?”  The Hands leaned forward as Master Hand spoke.  “You haven’t seemed bothered by anything lately.”

            “I know.  I feel a little better now, but maybe if I talk to you about this, then it’ll help put recent events into perspective.”

            Crazy Hand, thinking that Luigi was about to launch into a monologue about the Stuart Bennigan fuss, moved to stop him, but Lu assured him that it wasn’t what he came to discuss.

            “It’s about something else.  Something that started a long time ago.”

            Master Hand’s instincts told him to start paying attention.  “What’s on your mind, L?”

            After some stumbling, Luigi finally and painfully uttered the words, “I’ve been bullied, Master Hand.”

            If was as if something drove the breath out of Master Hand’s lungs.  “ _Bullied_?” he managed to repeat.

            “How long has this been going on?” Crazy Hand wanted to know.

            Luigi told them about how it started as simple teasing about his relative obscurity, his initial status as Mario’s clone and his awkward attributes.  He did his best to ignore it, thinking it would stop.  Instead, it only worsened when they discovered his plasmophobia.  Teasing became name-calling, which became full-blown harassment and physical abuse.  He talked about how they posted degrading things all over the Internet, how they laughed at his first ghostly adventure, and used every excuse possible to prey on him.  “I had never felt so helpless in my life,” he said, on the verge of tears.

            “Why didn’t you tell us?” demanded Master Hand as guilt crept up on him.  “We would’ve done something about it.”

            “They said that they’d do horrible things to me and everyone I loved if I ever told,” explained Luigi.  He then went on to say that the bullies had denounced his year as “a pity party” and then started back in on him as soon as it was over.  Ganondorf hadn’t been the only one—they’d done anything to tarnish his 30th anniversary.

            “L, you know you can tell us anything,” Master Hand reassured him.  “So, we’d like you to start from the first tournament and tell us about everything that happened to you.  I promise you, whatever you say will stay inside this office.”

            Taking a deep breath, Luigi began to tell his dark tale.  And what a tale it was!  Unveiling Blaine and his cronies’ acts, worse than the one Master Hand walked in on that day.  Unveiling Raymond’s dark, savage side.  Unveiling Ryan and Tyler’s sick torture.  Unveiling Wario’s hatred for Mario, projected onto him.  Unveiling the betrayal he felt when Ike suddenly did an about-face regarding his feelings for him and joined up with the bullies, when he discovered that Dedede had filmed the Waddle Dees scaring him before smacking him with his hammer and when Shulk pretended to be his friend.  Unveiling how B.J. and his brothers ceaselessly picked on him.  Unveiling how the voices of tormentors past and present kept him up at night, unleashing his frustration on the Sandbags.  Unveiling that he’d be in worse shape if not for his friends.  He had begun to cry in earnest as he unveiled sixteen years of suffering to the Hands.  His shoulders heaved violently, and his eyes squeezed shut as tears streamed down his face.

            The Hands were left shell-shocked.  How could they not know that he was going through this when it was happening on their watch?  They remembered all of the times they came upon him in a shattered state, similar to the condition he was in now, his sobs choking him.  At the time, they thought his body language and the tone of his voice had told them to leave him alone.  Now, seeing the broken Smasher before them, they thought long and hard about it, and the more they realized it, the guiltier they felt.  Whenever he looked at them or communicated with them, he wasn’t saying, “Go away.”

            He was saying, “Help me.”

            _Help me._

            Instead, they’d walked right on by, as if he wasn’t there.

            Guilt made it difficult for Master Hand to speak.  “L—I cannot begin to tell you how sorry I am.  Crazy and I will ensure that the guilty parties are soundly punished.”

            Luigi wiped his tears and pulled himself together.  “Don’t bother.  That matter is already taken care of.”

            Master Hand remembered finding the bodies of those Luigi had just talked about.  “You mean…?”

            Luigi’s voice was even now, almost dangerous.  “Yes.  I promised myself that one day, all of them would answer for their actions.  Year by year, I became stronger, and my skin became thicker.  It’s amazing what saving your brother’s life twice can do.  Then, even as my year took its final bow, my popularity got a big boost, thanks to my Death Stare and my mean shell-throwing skills at the kart races back home.  It started off as a seed, and when I got the invite to this tournament, it didn’t take long for it to grow.  It was time to show my tormentors that I was no longer the overshadowed, shy, awkward, cowardly guy they met back in 1999.  The opportunity to make them feel my pain had finally knocked.  I enjoyed every minute of it.  And I’m not sorry.”

            It didn’t take long for it all to make sense.  His improving skills, his ferocity on the battlefield, and even his first true power—it all made sense!  They weren’t the major events they’d anticipated.  They were small signs of an impending storm.  The signs had acted as red herrings, tricking them into dropping their guard.  By the time the actual storm broke, they’d been caught without an umbrella.

            _You were right, Dad_ , thought Master Hand.  _You were right._

            “So, what happens to me now?” asked Luigi, bravely.

            Master Hand’s mind whirled, and he was incapable of dispensing penalties, at least for now.  “We’re not sure.  We get that you were at your wit’s end with these people, and that you didn’t know what else to do—so you took justice into your own hands.”  _Because we weren’t there for you…_

            “And do you now understand why I acted as I did with Stuart?” Luigi wanted to know, daring the Hands to stick by their original decision to punish him.

            _I knew he was going to bring that up again_ , thought Crazy Hand.  “Yes, but…”

            “But nothing!” snapped Luigi.  “He, along with the rest of them, got everything that was coming to them, and then some!”

            “What will your loved ones think of this?” gasped Master Hand.

            “Don’t try to play that card with me,” Luigi said, a chill in his voice.  “I already told them myself.”

            Then, he reached into his pocket, withdrawing a sheet of paper that was obviously years old.  Holding it out to Master Hand, he said, “Just a little something I’d like you to see.”

            On that old sheet of paper was a list of names, scrawled in big, bold letters.  The names of those who derived joy in making him suffer.  The names of those who had tasted the Wrath of Green.  All of those names were now crossed out with a red marker.

            _Almost_ all of them.

            For at the very bottom of the list, Master Hand saw one last name.  The only name that didn’t have a red line through it.  The name written in all caps, screaming a curse against its bearer.  The name of the one who had the power and authority to do something, yet who chose not to.

            _His name._

            And the rest, as they say, is history.

**FIN**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your support!! :)


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